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Saudi Crown Prince Awards the Esports World Cup Champions

The Crown Prince crowns the Saudi club "Team Falcons" as champions of the Esports World Cup 2024 - SPA
The Crown Prince crowns the Saudi club "Team Falcons" as champions of the Esports World Cup 2024 - SPA
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Saudi Crown Prince Awards the Esports World Cup Champions

The Crown Prince crowns the Saudi club "Team Falcons" as champions of the Esports World Cup 2024 - SPA
The Crown Prince crowns the Saudi club "Team Falcons" as champions of the Esports World Cup 2024 - SPA

Under the patronage of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, the inaugural Esports World Cup successfully concluded on Sunday in Riyadh, SPA reported.
Over the past 8 weeks, clubs and players from across the globe came together in Riyadh to compete in the first-ever Esports World Cup. With a total prize pool of over $60 million, the event attracted around 500 teams and 1,500 professional players, marking it as the largest event in Esports history.
The Crown Prince crowned the Saudi club "Team Falcons" as champions of the Esports World Cup 2024. The Falcons secured a total of $7 million in prize money, emerging as the top club in this historic competition.
Team Falcons led the rankings with 5,665 points earned across 12 tournaments, achieving first place in both the "Call of Duty: Warzone" and "Free Fire" championships. This victory showcases the Kingdom’s exceptional national talent in the esports sector.
This event, uniting the gaming and esports community, brought together players, fans, game developers, and publishers from around the world, marking a significant milestone for the esports industry.
With its unique multi-game and multi-genre format, the competition not only featured tournaments among the world’s top clubs, but also strengthened efforts by various entities within the Kingdom and globally to advance the esports landscape. It highlighted the positive impact of esports on communities, enhanced cultural exchange, and encouraged brands to recognize esports as a promising and vital investment opportunity.
The Esports World Cup set record-breaking milestones. It attracted over two million visitors, contributing to over 29% increase in visitors to Riyadh during the event period compared to the same timeframe the previous year. The event also featured more than 32 side entertainment and cultural activities. Across its eight-week run, the Esports World Cup recorded more than 500 million viewers, totaling more than 250 million hours watched—setting a new global record for this year.

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Georgian Teenager Salia's Dream Comes True with Newcastle Move 

Vakhtang Salia, a Georgian footballer who plays as a forward for Dinamo Tbilisi and will officially join Newcastle United on his 18th birthday in August 2025, controls the ball during a match against Samgurali Tskaltubo in the Georgian top football league, in Tbilisi, Georgia, March 6, 2025. (Reuters)
Vakhtang Salia, a Georgian footballer who plays as a forward for Dinamo Tbilisi and will officially join Newcastle United on his 18th birthday in August 2025, controls the ball during a match against Samgurali Tskaltubo in the Georgian top football league, in Tbilisi, Georgia, March 6, 2025. (Reuters)
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Georgian Teenager Salia's Dream Comes True with Newcastle Move 

Vakhtang Salia, a Georgian footballer who plays as a forward for Dinamo Tbilisi and will officially join Newcastle United on his 18th birthday in August 2025, controls the ball during a match against Samgurali Tskaltubo in the Georgian top football league, in Tbilisi, Georgia, March 6, 2025. (Reuters)
Vakhtang Salia, a Georgian footballer who plays as a forward for Dinamo Tbilisi and will officially join Newcastle United on his 18th birthday in August 2025, controls the ball during a match against Samgurali Tskaltubo in the Georgian top football league, in Tbilisi, Georgia, March 6, 2025. (Reuters)

Georgian Vakhtang Salia may only be 17-years-old but he will soon be trading Dinamo Tbilisi's training ground for Newcastle United's famous St James' Park stadium.

The striker, known as Vakho, was with his friends when he heard he would be moving to Premier League Newcastle. He will relocate to England near his 18th birthday in August.

For the young prospect, who started playing aged four and debuted for Dinamo Tbilisi in Georgia's top flight only a year ago, signing for a Premier League club is a dream come true.

"I couldn't believe it. But I can't believe it right up until now. It's my dream to play there," he said.

Salia is part of a rising generation of young Georgian players who have given the South Caucasus country of 3.7 million, which gained independence from the Soviet Union in 1991, a spot on the world football map.

Salia told Reuters that among the players he most admires are Khvicha Kvaratskhelia and Georges Mikautadze, who shone during the Euro 2024 campaign, Georgia's first major tournament. They lost to eventual champions Spain in the last 16.

The Euros saw Georgia, the lowest-ranked team in the tournament, win 2-0 against a Portugal side captained by Cristiano Ronaldo, another of Salia's soccer idols, in the group stage with goals from Kvaratskhelia and Mikautadze.

Salia also hopes to play for Georgia one day.

"Football in Georgia now is getting bigger," he said. "It's every Georgian's dream for Georgia to play in the World Cup and the Euros. And I hope that I'll play one day in the national team, too."

Dinamo Tbilisi head coach Vladimer Kakashvili said that Salia has every chance of becoming as good a player as his more established countrymen, even if the Premier League is a step up.

"Undoubtedly, today English football is among the best in Europe, where there are very high speeds, very high physical standards, and Vakho will need a certain period to get used to that," he said.

Salia's career at Dinamo Tbilisi so far leaves him well placed to shine in England, added Kakashvili.

"When a footballer joins the main team at such a young age, it shows that he's undoubtedly talented, that he undoubtedly works on himself, and that he is a professional of the highest level," he said.

"I think with his talent, strong work ethic, and dedication, he can play in any competition. It won't be a problem."